half a world away in afghanistan, u.s. soldiers today, meeting with their chief, chairman of the joint chiefs mike mullen, asked, will we get paid? and he was forced to say, i simply don't know. but beyond that, america's international friends and, indeed, its friendemies, are concerned. they say, it is damaging. they call it irresponsible, what's happening in washington. especially china, which holds the most u.s. debtbt. it's calling for a resolution to this. and a key investment manager says to me, that the rest of the world is stunned, bewildered, more than a little worried. and that the damage has already being done. it's already more than a flesh wound. >> always fun to hear the word friendemy on the evening news. christiane, let me just pick up on the last thing you said there. do you really think that even if a deal is done and they beat the clock, that real damage has been done in a lasting way? >> well, look. this is what people there are saying. that the level of thth acrimony, the level of the paralysis, the pa